Health & Wellbeing, Real food, Parenting, Mindfulness

Chicken and hidden fruit & veggie patties

Many of you have asked me “How do I get more fruit and vegetables into my kids”!
Lets face it when your battling kids at meal times it really takes its toll on everyone! So hopefully these will help a few of you out!

I trialled a new pattie mix which combines both fruit & veg and is slightly sweet so kids will love them!

They are a very mild flavoured pattie so if your kids like a bit more spices/herbs etc feel free to add I didn’t want to overload these ones purely to see if they would be beneficial to all the fussy eaters out there.

The boys loved them, Riley (Master 4.5) thought it was a little strange they had apples in them as he didn’t think apples where “dinner food” lol but they both ate them all up with sweet potato “chips”.

These are a quick dinner which can be pre prepared earlier in the day and then cooked at dinner or cooked early on and heated (or even friendly for lunch boxes/picnics etc)

Best of all they are Gluten, egg, dairy and nut free!

The below method is done in the thermomix but you can do the same with a food processor (for mincing) and the rest by hand in a large mixing bowl.

You will need

400g of chicken mince
(I blitz semi frozen cubed chicken breast in the thermomix on turbo for one of two pulses (I used breast but thigh would work here too)
1 zucchini grated/blitzed
1 apple, peeled, cored and shredded (a firm pear would also work but not ripe – too mushy)
1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1/2 tsp of ground mustard (if you have seeds blitz them in the Thermomix on speed 9 till you have a powder)
A good pinch of Pink Salt flakes/Himalayan salt & pepper for seasoning
1/4 tsp of cinnamon (works well with the apple – can be left out if needed)
1 & 1/2 tablespoons of GF Dijon mustard
1 clove of garlic (minced)
Virgin Coconut Oil – for pan frying

1. Mince diced chicken (small cubes semi frozen) on turbo for a couple of pulses – If not using mince to start with. Remove from bowl and set aside.
2. Add zucchini into bowl and blitz at speed 4-5 till a consistency you think it either chunky (if you are not hiding it or well processed if you are needing to hide it – remember zucchini is quite watery so it will need to be drained once processed – use your rice bowl for this)
3. Turbo a quartered peeled apple in the bowl for one or two pulses (once again same rules as above)
4. Put all the fruit, veg & chicken back in the bowl and add all spices/seasonings, mix on 2-3 until all combined and refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 mins (for flavours to develop, the longer you leave the more flavour they will have)
5. Remove from fridge prior to cooking and form into palm size patties. Fry in coconut oil in a cast iron or stainless steel frypan (you can use non stick pan but try and avoid non stick cookware)
If you want you can coat them in GF flour or similar but I wanted to create these Paleo style with no flours. Fry on each side for approx 3-4 mins until cooked through. It made about 12 patties.

DO not be tempted to turn them early they need to create a “crust” and if you turn them too early they will fall apart as it’s a very wet mix as it has no breadcrumbs/flours etc.

Remember the possibilities are endless you can add carrot, mushrooms, corn, more spices and flavours – whatever other veggies your kids will eat, but this is a kid friendly base option to start with.

Both boys have asked that they be made again so they were a hit in my books!